4 Best Sights in Christchurch and Canterbury, New Zealand

The captain known as Scott of the Antarctic (1868–1912), who stayed in Christchurch while preparing for his two Antarctic expeditions, is memorialized by this unfinished white marble statue sculpted by his widow, Kathleen. It's inscribed "Do not regret this journey, which shows that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one another and meet death with as great fortitude as ever in the past." Scott wrote these words in his diary as he and his party lay dying in a blizzard on their return journey from the South Pole—a story of endurance taught to all New Zealand schoolkids. Scott's marble statue was toppled and broken in the earthquakes, but has now been restored.

This bronze memorial wall, unveiled in 1993, commemorates 100 years of votes for women. New Zealand was the first country in the world to grant all women the vote, and Christchurch resident Kate Sheppard played a key role in petitioning Parliament for this essential right. The vote for all women over 21, including Māori women, was granted on September 19, 1893; the work of Sheppard and other activists is celebrated each year on that date at the memorial. The women featured on the memorial are (left to right) Helen Nicol, Kate Sheppard, Ada Wells, Harriet Morison, Meri Te Tai Mangakahia, and Amey Daldy.

SCAPE public art installs free-to-view contemporary art all year round in Christchurch, with a focus on its Public Art Annual Seasons between September and November. The works, many of which are now permanent, are urban and alternative arts such as conceptual architecture, sculpture, and city murals. Check the website for details.